Water for the Oasis

What is it about?

The aim of this project is to build a well in the M’Hamid El Ghizlane oasis (Morocco), situated at the end of the Draa valley, at the gateway to the desert. Preserving the oasis’ palm trees and gardens is essential in preventing the desert from advancing. It also allows the inhabitants to regain the beneficial freshness of the oasis and sustain their traditional crops on family plots, which have been dying since the last catastrophic drought from 2019 to 2023.

Although the Draa River, which flows through M’Hamid and irrigates the crops, now only flows on the surface during rare upstream dam releases. However it continues to feed the groundwater table at a depth of approximately 15-20 m. The construction of a well would provide access to this precious resource, however the local population lacks the means to finance such a construction.

Why is our project special?

It’s special because it’s extremely simple and ready to start: no need for heavy infrastructure, no innovation, just a hole that will have a major impact on the beneficiary families. The well will be strategically located near the small town and ancient ksours (villages) of the M’Hamid commune and will enable around ten households to once again cultivate their fields and trees, thereby preserving the traditional expertise of oasis farming. Production will enable both family consumption and local sales, which will be a welcome additional income in this region where one of the only other seasonal incomes is tourism during the few winter months.

Ismael, Mohamed and Ali, members of one of the beneficiary families and long-time friends, along with Sissi, a mountain guide and architect, will oversee the local progress of the project, which is ready to get going immediately. They have been working together on itinerant hikes in the region for over fifteen years, fostering a spirit of friendship. If we manage to raise the necessary funds to create the new well, they will document the progress of the project. Follow it on the Instagram page of the project (link at the bottom of the page).

What will your participation help for?

The funds raised will be utilized for transportation, purchase and rental of materials required for excavation and well construction, payment for two specialized mahlems (master masons), whose work is estimated to take a month, and for purchasing and installation of a solar pump:

• Transport and materials: 3500 CHF => cement, stones and sand, iron rods, rental of a diesel pump and formwork boards during excavation.
• Excavation and construction 2500 CHF
• Purchase and installation of solar pump: 3000 CHF => solar panels, pump, cables, installation
• Other costs: wemakeit platform, geologist, site insurance, small reserve in case of uncertainties

If we exceed our target, the rest of the money will be donated to the association we are creating to finance other projects (wells and solar pumps for the nomads of the Oued Draa and Bani) and help the Afous Ghoufous association for disabled people in the Taliouine region of the Anti-Atlas.